Fastening device



s. w. BLAIR FASTENING DEVICE July 9,1929.

Patented July 9, 1929..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. BLAIR, F MISHAWAKA, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO MISHAWAKA RUBBER AND WOOLEN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF MISHAVJ'AKA, INDIANA, A. 00B- IPORATION OF INDIANA.

FASTENING DEVICE.

Application filed June 5, 1926. Serial No. 113,844.

My invention relates to fastening devices of the type wherein opposed series of fastener elements interlock and release by movement of a cam member or slider theresalong, and has reference more particularly to the construction of the interlocking portions of the elements.

The'principal objects of my invention are to insure positive and dependable interlock- 1o ing; to aiford a high degree of flexibility; to prevent cramping or prying action between the elements when the interlocked fastener is bent or doubled over; to hold the in terlocked elements against relative twistlng or turning movement about the longitudinal axis of the fastener; to facilitate bending by curving the overlapping portions of the elements from side to side; to utilize a transverse open-ended recess and thereby avoid 2o cramping; and in general to provide a simple form of element which may be easily manufactured and has the proper form to interlock positively and to co-operate in the proper manner with the adjoining elements in bending and flexing.

On the drawings, Fig. 1 is a front view, partly in section, of a fragmentary portion of the fastening device and the slider for operating same. Fig. 2, an enlarged view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3, an enlarged sectional on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and

Figs. 4 and 5, top and bottom perspective views respectively of one of the fastener elements. I

Referring to the drawings, the reference numerals 1 and 2 indicate fragmentary portions of the parts which are to be connected, each of which has a series of fastener elements 3 secured to the edge thereof, and these elements are interlocked andreleased by a cam member or slider 4 which slides along the two series of fastener elements for this 4 purpose.

The elements 3 on both parts 1 and 2 are alike and consist of a plate which is arched transversely or bowed from side to side view taken ill fill form as shown'and provided adjacent the outer end with a transverse corrugation or portion which is arched or bowed in the direction of the width of the element or on a and not continuous from venient manner.

transverse axis as shown, and extends from edge to edge so as to form a rib 5 across the top or convex side of the element and a groove or recess 6 extending across the under or concave side of the element, said ribs and recesses being arranged so that when the ends of the elements 3 on one side are inserted between the ends of the elements 3 on the other side in the interlocking operation, the ribs 5 of the elements on each side engage in the recesses or grooves 6 of the elements on the other side and interlock the elements against direct separation.

The interlocked elements are held against slipping out of engagement sidewise by the arcuate form thereof which provides each element with depending edge portions on the concave side which embrace or straddle the central raised portion on the convex side of ,the next adjoining element with which it transverse lines, they not only interlock the elements against direct separation, but also serve as guides in the relativemovement of the elements in bending, and since the groove or recess 6 is not closed at the ends, but is continuous through the lateral edges of the element, the relative arcuate sidewise movement of the interlocked elements in bending or flexing is unrestricted, and no cramping or prying action occurs as in the case where the recess or groove is closed at the ends edge to edge as in the present structure.

The radius of curvature of the elements may be varied as desired according to the particular purpose for which the fastener is to be used and the degree of flexibility curved form but it is only necessary to arch throughout its width in a shallow trough like],

opposed element and the remainder of the element may be of flat plate form.

The elements may be mounted in any con- In the present case they are formed at their rear ends with an aperture 7 and slot 8 forming opposed jaws 9 which are clamped on the enlarged or corded edge 10 of the parts 1 and 2 in a well known manner. They may however be apertured and strung on a cord or stringer or mounted in any other desired manner.

The slider 4, which interlocks and releases the elements 3 is of the usual form comprising front and rear plates 11 and 12 respectively which are held in spaced relation by a wedge shaped member 13, and the lateral edges of these plates are turned inwardly to engage the ends of the jaw portions 9 at each side of the parts 1 or 2, 'said inturned edges and member 13 forming divergent channels meeting in a single channel at the smaller end 'of the slider. These channels serve upon movement of the slider in one direction, to feed the elements together at an angle and interlock same and in the other direction to separate and release the elements.

While I have shown and described themvention in a preferred form, I am aware that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the principles of my invention, the scope of which is to be determined by the appended claims.

- I claim as my invention:

1. A fastener element for a fastening device of the class described, said element hav ing mounting means at one end and a transversely arched portion at the other end, said arched portion being formed with a projection on one side and with a recess in the other side opening through the lateral edges of the element.

2. A fastener element for a fastening device of the class described, said element having mounting means at one end and a transversely arched portion at the other end, said arched portion being formed with a projection onv one side and with a recess in the other side extending across the element and through the lateral edges thereof.

3. A fastener element for a fastening device of the class described, said element havin'g mounting means at one end and a transversely arched portion at the other end, the latter being formed with a corrugation extending from edge to edge of the element.

4. A fastener element for a fastening device of the class described, said element having mounting means at one end and a trans versely arched portion at the other end, the latter being formed with a corrugation extending from edge to edge and forming on the convex side of the arched portion a transverse rib and forming on the concave side of the arched portion a transverse open ended groove.

5. In a fastening device of the class de scribed, the combination of a pair of flexible members, each having a series of fastener elements on an edge thereof and a slider movable along the two series of fastener elements for interlocking and releasing same, each of said elements comprising an elongated plate secured at one end to the respective flexible member and having the other end adapted to engage between and interlock with the elements of the other series, said latter end being trough shaped in cross section to hold the interengaged elements against lateral disengagement and with a transverse corrugation extending across the trough shaped end from edge to edge to hold the elements against endwise disengagement.

6. In a fastening device of the class described, the combination of a pair of flexible members, each having a series of fastener elements on an edge thereof and a slider movable along the two series of fastener elements for interlocking and releasing same, each of said elements comprising an elongated transversely arched plate secured at one end to the respective flexible member and having the other end provided with a projection on the convex side and a recess on the concave side extending through the edges of the element and adapted to engage a projection of an element of the other series.

7. In a fastening device of the class described, the combination of a. pair of flexible members, each having a series of fastener elements upon an edge thereof and a slider movable along the two series of fastener elements for interlocking and releasing same, each of said elements comprising an elongated plate secured at one end to the respective flexible members and having the other end transverselyarched and terminating in a correspondingly arched edge to enter endwise in a correspondingly arched space between similarly arched end portions of the elements of the opposed series, and means extending transversely across the convex and concave sides of the transversely arched portion for interlocking with corresponding means of adjoining elements of the opposed series.

GEORGE W. BLAIR. 

